Pre-release

We are on a mission. With over 25 billion listening hours under the hood since our launch seven years ago, we’re obsessed with figuring out how to bring music into every part of your life, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, whatever your mood. More than ever, you’re telling us what you want: the best music to fit your mood and moment mixed with great entertainment throughout your day. We understand that how music fits into your life is as powerful as the music itself. So today we’re rolling out a richer mobile music experience built around your day, bringing you the music you love when you need it most. Introducing:

The Now start page. From the time you wake up until tonight’s party, the Now start page serves you the right music day and night. Need a Monday morning playlist pick-me-up? Done. The right tunes to help you focus after lunch? We’ve got you covered. And because Now learns what you like, you’ll be sure to hear the right music – selected from our in-house experts and your personal collection – whatever the occasion. Recommendations will adapt over time to fit your taste and mood.

Spotify Running. Every week millions of you lace up and hit the road to Spotify. Music is the perfect running companion but sometimes you need even more motivation to push on. That’s why Spotify Running is all about helping you go the extra mile.We’ve combined the best music on the planet – recommendations based on your listening history, multiple-genre playlists and original running compositions written by some of the world’s foremost DJs and composers – all tuned to your tempo and seamlessly transitioned to ensure you’ll never miss a beat. Start running and Spotify will detect your tempo, matching the perfect music in time to your step – making you a harder, better, faster, stronger runner.

And that’s not all: this Summer we’re teaming up with Nike to bring new music experiences to their audiences around the globe. And later this year, you’ll be able to access the new Spotify Running experience through the Nike+ app. We’re also integrating the RunKeeper app with Spotify Running later this year.

On top of our improved music experience, we’re also introducing an expanded world of entertainment built around you:

More Than Music. For the first time, Spotify is adding video clips and audio shows to the music mix. We know there are times in the day you want to switch between music to catch up on the latest news, listen to your favourite podcast or simply watch something fun. And with a stellar range of entertainment to choose from there’s something for everyone. Spotify will suggest video and audio shows for you to watch and learn what you love.

Spotify Originals. We’re also serving up an exciting slate of original content to entertain your day. Check out our Running Originals – music specifically designed for running that dynamically adapts to your running tempo. A total of six original tracks, all found within Spotify Running, are available at launch. We’re also introducing a range of exclusive content, from Dance Move of the Day produced by Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls brand, to specially curated radio shows presented by artists including Icona Pop, Jungle and Tyler the Creator.

Spotify now comes packed with entertainment, news and clips from the likes of ABC, BBC, Comedy Central, Condé Nast Entertainment, ESPN, Fusion, Maker Studios, NBC, TED and Vice News, with much more to come (see Notes to Editors for full entertainment roster).

We’re so excited to bring you a deeper, richer, more immersive Spotify experience. We want Spotify to help soundtrack your life by offering an even wider world of entertainment with an awesome mix of the best music, podcasts and video delivered to you throughout your day. And we’re just getting started. The new Now experience will begin rolling out today to iPhone users in the US, UK, Germany and Sweden – with more markets and platforms to follow in the near future. Spotify Running will start rolling out to iPhone users globally today. That’s entertainment.

This year alone Spotify has created brilliant, exclusive content in collaboration with artists like Daft Punk, Avicii and Kendrick Lamar, but now we’re ready to go further. Say hello to Spotlight, the new home for a whole host of fantastic music, the freshest discoveries and the hottest recommendations right at the heart of Spotify.

Spotlight will show you what’s hot and who’s next, plus there’ll be the coolest exclusives, pre-releases, b-sides and remixes alongside new artist recommendations, playlists, track-by-track commentaries and video interviews.

We’re launching Spotlight with two of the most exciting artists in the world today, Los Angeles’ own HAIM and New Zealand’s Lorde. There’s never been anything like this on Spotify before, so if you’re ready to meet your next favourite new band and discover a world of amazing music then we’ll meet you there.

For the best freshest recommendations and hottest tracks of the year so far, follow our Spotlight On 2013 playlist:

American singer-songwriter Tift Merritt is a triple-threat artist — a gifted singer, superb songwriter, and skillful guitarist. With her long-time band, she has built what has been called a “unique” and critically acclaimed body of work of “sonic short stories and poignant performances.”

For her fifth studio album, Traveling Alone, Merritt knew—and got—exactly the journeymen she wanted with her on this 11-track trip: legendary guitarist Marc Ribot, Calexico drummer John Convertino, steel player extraordinaire Eric Heywood, acclaimed jazz and rock multi-instrumentalist Rob Burger, and longtime cohort Jay Brown on bass. As captured by producer Tucker Martine (known for working with the Decemberists, and one of Paste magazine’s “10 Best Producers of the Decade”), the sound is both spare and luxurious.

“To me,” Merritt explains of the album recorded in just 8 days, “Traveling Alone is about the roads on the inside—those places that are hard to see and not easy to send postcards from.”

Be the first to hear this exclusive pre-stream before it hits stores next week!

Starting right now Spotify has an exclusive 24 hour premiere of the final segment of the video trailer for the upcoming Killers album, Battle Born.

Artfully capturing each band member’s journey to the studio, this video, titled “Brandon, The Battle Born,” is the finale of a four-part trailer series that gives fans a taste of a new album full of music heavily influenced by the band’s Nevada roots.

Watch here to follow Brandon Flowers and the rest of the band across the red plains of the desert and shimmering lights of Las Vegas to the studio for a moving performance of their new single, “Runaways”.

Want more? Only a few more weeks until Battle Born is out on September 18th! In the meantime, check out “Runaways” here or jam out to The Killers’ complete discography in the Complete Collection App on Spotify.

This week, we’ve got a bunch of awesome pre-releases for your listening pleasure!

DeuceCo-founder and former frontman of Hollywood Undead, Deuce, is making his debut with Nine Lives. The lyricist, songwriter, producer and knows-no-boundaries singer/rapper hails from Los Angeles and is known for his signature masks and ability to jumpstart any party. Get the party started with this exclusive pre-stream of Nine Lives today!

HuoratronThe solo project of Finland’s Aku Raski, Huoratron began by using two Game Boy consoles to produce experimental and dark electro. Since then, he’s risen from the digital underground and updated his gear while maintaining the pure black sound and raw aesthetics. His latest album, Cryptocracy, is sure to be pure techno-tronic enlightenment for your musical senses.

SabiYou may recognize Sabi from her sexy hook on Cobra Starship’s hit single “You Make Me Feel…” or her recent appearances with Britney Spears on the Femme Fatale Tour. Now, listen to her hot new track Where They Do That At feat. Wale, now pre-streaming exclusively on Spotify.

10 ft Ganga Plant10 Ft. Ganja Plant are a dub and roots reggae band shrouded in mystery. Hailing from the Northeast, they are rumored to share members with another great reggae group, John Brown’s Body. Anyone who has seen them live or listens to their albums, can attest to the fact that no other band has captured the 70’s spirit quite like this crew. Plug into into their latest album, 10 Deadly Shots Vol. II now!

The Soundtrack of Our LivesSweden’s The Soundtrack Of Our Lives return with their sixth studio album, Throw It To The Universe, featuring the first single ”What’s Your Story”. Get tuned in here!

Let’s say you’re listening to a new track and you’d like to know the lyrics. Just click over to the TuneWiki app and see all the words of the song perfectly synced as you’re listening.

Maybe you want to see a gig this weekend? Check out the Songkick app to find out if any of the artists in your library are performing near you. Then get your hands on tickets with a few clicks.

The apps you’ll discover over the next few days are only the beginning. We’ll surprise you, and probably be surprised ourselves, with many more new and wonderful experiences that will make Spotify even better.

American hip-hop group formed in 2008, Das Racist is known for their use of humor, obscure references, and unconventional style. Comprised of Queens-born Himanshu Suri, San Francisco-native Victor Vazquez and hype man Ashok Kondabolu, Das Racist has been recognized as one of the “25 Best New Bands in the World” by MTV Iggy.

Their first commercially released album, titled Relax, is scheduled to be released next week but Spotify users have access to an exclusive pre-stream! Be among the first to listen to it here.

Gearing up for the world premiere, the band is reaching out to fans to compile a Relax playlist. Subscribe to it and drag a few songs that you think will impress or offend them! Follow them on Twitter to see their reaction!